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Preschool Philosophies: Reggio Emilia Approach | NO SMALL MATTER

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Our learner's space follows that of the Reggio Emilia approach. Loris Malaguzzi was the originator of this approach that started in Reggio Emilia, Italy. He believed that the teacher was a learner alongside the student. He also believed in the use of natural colors. natural lighting and everyday objects within the classroom.

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We hold to a couple educational philosophies here at Connect. The name of our school signifies the need that children have to connect and develop within a community of people. "All students are viewed as valuable resources for enriching the teaching–learning process" (Parkay). Children are able to learn better when they are being challenged and encouraged by fellow students. We also hold to the philosophy that education should be child-centered; children learn better when the curriculum is based around their interests and needs.

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Lists the guiding principles about child-centered education including the idea that all children have a right to an education and every child is unique.

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We take a different approach to testing where students do not take exams or tests, but rather are evaluated and assessed before and during their learning. This is a better gauge of what a student knows and has mastered, as formal exams and tests cause anxiety and don't accurately tell what a student comprehends.

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The role of formative assessments to gauge student understanding has become more important than ever during COVID-19, when many teachers and students are working in blended learning environments for the first time. But it can be tough to switch from being test-oriented to learning-oriented. Focusing on learning-oriented techniques like formative assessment may be a bit more time consuming and require some extra strategy, but the results are well worth the effort. That's because these types of diagnostic check-ins are essential to guiding lesson planning and adjusting instruction to support students' growth.

The Strengths of Formative Assessment

When teachers constantly monitor student growth and adjust instruction to ensure continuous improvement, they find it easier and more predictable to progress towards meeting the standards on summative assessments.

By understanding exactly what their students know before and during instruction, educators have much more power to improve student mastery of the subject matter than if they find out after a lesson or unit is complete.

The strength of formative assessment lies in the critical information it provides about student comprehension throughout the learning process and the opportunity it gives educators to provide students with timely and action-oriented feedback and to change their own behavior so that every student has an opportunity to learn and re-learn.

The students who are performing on the outer edges of the normal curve-the struggling and the gifted-particularly benefit from formative assessment. These students have learning needs that are often unique and specific, and the teacher needs timely data in order to address them. Additionally, using consistent formative assessment to address learning gaps enhanced by COVID-19 ensures that teachers are able to provide timely remediation.

9 Benefits of Formative Assessment

When formative assessment is well implemented, the benefits include:

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9 Benefits of Using Formative Assessment to Increase Student Growth - PowerSchool

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The role of formative assessments to gauge student understanding has become more important than ever during COVID-19, when many teachers and students are working in blended learning environments for the first time. But it can be tough to switch from being test-oriented to learning-oriented.

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At Connect, leadership is very important to us. We believe in what is called a plurality of leaders. In order to maintain our vision, values and beliefs as a school, having multiple members on our leadership team helps to retain what is important to us. We have five members on our leadership team that are the head of the school.

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Here at Connect, a private Christian school grades K-5th that incorporates children of both sexes, we believe that your child can grow to become the person they were meant to be under God. We have the Cougar as our mascot because we believe that children are strong and capable of great things. We chose to have white as one of our colors to signify safety in our school: physically, socially and emotionally; the green signifies the ability that children have to grow. Our motto is based off Colossians 3:23, which states, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters".

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We believe in the concept of multiculturalism here at Connect. Multiculturalism “affirms the need to create schools where differences related to race, ethnicity, gender, disability and social class are acknowledged" (Parkay). We believe that having a diverse culture within our classroom will enrich our classrooms even further.

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Diversity is a term that can have many different meanings depending on context. This module will not offer a comprehensive definition of the term, instead, this module will highlight two key areas related to diversity:

Identify how diversity affects the classroom

Provide practical tips for promoting an inclusive classroom

How Diversity Aﬀects the Classroom

Much discussion about diversity focuses on the following forms of marginalization: race, class, gender, and sexual orientation - and rightfully so, given the importance of these forms of difference. In fact, students come to the university classroom with different backgrounds, sets of experiences, cultural contexts, and world views.

Additionally, issues of diversity play a role in how students and teachers view the importance of the classroom and what should happen there. For example, assumptions about what a typical student should know, the resources they have and their prior knowledge are extremely important.

Students may perceive that they do not "belong" in the classroom setting - a feeling that can lead to decreased participation, feelings of inadequacy, and other distractions. Teachers may make flawed assumptions of students' capabilities or assume a uniform standard of student performance. Teachers may themselves feel out of place based on their own ascriptive traits (i.e. differences based on class, privilege, etc.).

Identifying and thinking through notions of difference and how they affect the classroom allow both students and teachers to see the classroom as an inclusive place.

Practical Tips for Promoting an Inclusive Classroom

While many discussions concerning diversity focus on talking about the importance of diversity and recognizing difference, it is equally important to move to the next step: incorporating specific tips for addressing differences and how they play out.

One way to form strategies for promoting an inclusive classroom is to use self-reflection and think of potential classroom scenarios and how one might address them. The solutions to such scenarios are ones that each teacher should consider for him- or herself, since there are no immediate right or wrong answers.

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Diversity is a term that can have many different meanings depending on context. This module will not offer a comprehensive definition of the term, instead, this module will highlight two key areas related to diversity: Identify how diversity affects the classroom Provide practical tips for promoting an inclusive classroom Much discussion about diversity focuses on the following forms of marginalization: race, class, gender, and sexual orientation - and rightfully so, given the importance of these forms of difference.

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Every teacher must have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Education and every member of the leadership team must have a Master's degree in Education. We also require diversity in race, ethnicity, sex and social class amongst members of the leadership team and teachers, so that we are able to reach every student effectively.

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We believe that every child has the ability to learn, while students learn at different paces. We believe in treating every student with equity, giving each student the tools and support that are necessary for them to succeed.

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Wait?! Why would you go to a school that has no homework? According to Krista Kiuru, part of Finland's educational success is due to their short days at school, but also because they have no homework. Finland has been ranked as one of the best countries educationally over the past couple years.